We strive to provide the most accurate information possible. The dental night guards (sometimes referred to as occlusal guard) suggested in this article are basic appliances used to alleviate teeth grinding, jaw clenching (bruxing) and to protect your veneers, crowns and bridges. They can even be worn as an anti-aging device. Some individuals require custom made dental night guards. Custom made occlusal guards are used to treat issues such as jaw alignment, Severe TMJ and tooth misalignment. A licensed dentist will be able to evaluate and determine which dental guard is best suited for your needs.

Custom Dental Night Guards

In a dental office the average cost of the occlusal guard can be anywhere from $300-$1000. Online you can get them for as low as $80. What gives? People are even applying through their dentist for Care Credit, a medical credit card a custom fit dental night guard (sometimes called an occlusal guard). As if our society isn’t in enough debt, it’s everyday situations like these that make things even worse.

I was watching a documentary from director Tom Shadyac (of Ace Ventura) called “I Am” Its good stuff! watch it if you get a chance!). The film touched on something that I found myself thinking about over and over. Tom talked about how nature only takes what it needs and how we as humans, get into this mindset of “needing more”. Why is it that some people have more than enough while others are struggling to get by?

On a larger scale, medical cost is a huge political issue and since I am just one tiny person I won’t tackle that giant. Maybe later. Right now, I just want to focus on a tiny important area amongst a big giant blob of a problem.

The Dentist and their dental night guards.

Below are five top reasons you should not let a dentist make your dental night guard (occlusal guard) for clenching or teeth grinding. Unless ,of course, you can talk them down to a reasonable price.

1. You Can Get Your Dental Night Guard from An Online Dental Lab For WAY Less

Let’s cut straight to it. The #1 reason is because you can get the same exact product through an online dental lab

There is no difference in the process or material used to make the guard. None! Do not think you are getting a better quality guard through a dentist because you were duped into paying a premium for it. It’s a sham, a ruse, a hoodwink!. Whether you’re dealing with nighttime or daytime jaw clenching, teeth grinding, protecting your new veneers or tongue biting, a lab made occlusal night guard will protect your teeth from physical harm. Even if you go through a dentist, most likely they will send it to a dental lab and their fee is less than a quarter of what the dentist is going to charge you.

*PRO TIP: avoid the urge to buy cheap walmart type ‘one size fits all’ guards. These types rarely last more than 6 months. They’re uncomfortable. They don’t stay in place at night and can even worsen your bruxism.

Custom Night Guard

Protect Your Teeth

2. No Guarantee

Most dental offices offer no replacement warranty or satisfaction guarantee.

Let’s say you pay $500 for a night guard. You then go spend the weekend at Aunt Bernie’s house in the Hamptons (bear with the scenario will you? We like to paint pictures.) You wear your new night guard like you’re supposed only to come back home and realize HOLY CRAP! You left that $500 piece of royal plastic in the guest bathroom!

You call Aunt Bernie. That old bat can’t find your prized possession anywhere! You call your dentist. They offer to make you a new one at a discounted price, they still have a stone mold of your teeth, how gracious of them. You shell out another $250 for a brand new night guard. What if you receive your night guard and simply can’t get used to it? Good luck getting a dentist to remake your appliance or work with you to find the right type of night guard for you.

Want to switch to a different material or type of night guard? Forget about it! Most of the time you will hear these words “Go home. Wear it for a few hours at a time. Take it out. Give your teeth a little rest and try it again. You will get used to it.” Even then if you still say it’s too uncomfortable, some dental offices will charge you to adjust your night guard. As Vizzini from ‘The Princess Bride’ would say “Inconceivable!”.

One of the great things about Sentinel Mouthguards is that we will work with you to guarantee you have the right night guard. This includes trying a different material type, changing dental guard thickness, switching to a lower guard instead of an upper. Example situation: Customer ordered a hard night guard but had issues getting used to the material and we switched to the soft type instead. Try to find another dental night guard company that will do that!

3. Insurance Probably Won’t Cover You

9 times out of 10 the dental night guard is not covered by your insurance.

This needs no further explanation. Good luck getting your insurance to cover even a portion of your dental night guard. Insurance companies don’t want to pay hundreds of dollars for something non-invasive, and pretty inexpensive to make so why should you? If you have ever been confused by your own dental insurance plan you are not alone. Here is an excellent Reddit thread that breaks down how your dental insurance works compared to regular medical insurance.

4. Your Dental Night Guard Is Being Made By Someone Other Than Your Dentist.

The dentist does not make your night guard.

Nope. They do not. I know, I know, you are crushed right?? I mean, if I’m paying several hundred dollars for a professionally made custom fit dental night guard, I want my dentist to be back in the lab constructing and cutting and polishing and doing everything to make my perfect fitting appliance. Instead, the dentist sends the dental impression (that most often THEY didn’t take. I’ll bet my last dollar a dental assistant took your dental impression) off to a dental lab.

FACT: Even when your impression is sent off to a dental lab, that lab makes many other appliances and does not specialize in night guard creation alone. They are busy creating far more expensive and intricate appliances such as dentures, partials, flippers, crowns and bridges. The night guard is low on their to- do list. The lab has possibly hundreds of orders and they don’t take the time because your night guard is going to go back to your dentist who is supposed to make tweaks and adjustments. However, as many of our customers can attest, many dentists can’t seem to get the fit perfect and send you on your way hoping you will “just get used to it.”

Our team cares. We are a specialized dental night guard, teeth whitening and athletic mouth guard lab only. We take the time to trim, polish, and make sure your night guard is fitting like a glove before shipment.

5. You Can Take Your Dental Impression Yourself.

You are perfectly capable of taking your own dental impression.

We’re talking about a plastic tray and some putty that resembles play dough. You mix the putty up, place it in the tray and submerge your teeth. That’s it! It’s not rocket science. If it were, dental assistants all over the world would be struggling daily.

Tip when ordering online: Read the directions carefully when taking your own dental impression. Do not take your own dental impression if you have loose teeth, loose dental work or if you have braces. If you mess up your dental impression for whatever reason, a reputable online night guard lab will send you a new kit free of charge. We use disposable dental impression trays unlike most dentists who clean and reuse the alginate trays time and time again. Some dental assistants forget to rinse the plastic alginate trays after removing from cold sterilization. Ever had cold sterile solution in your mouth? YIKES! You can rest assured that your mail order dental impression kit from Sentinel Mouthguard Co. will come with brand new trays.

Interested in ordering?

Your most common questions answered:

“How does it work?”

First, decide which night guard type is right for you. One common question we are asked is which thickness to choose. The 2mm thickness is the most common choice. Just to give you a reference point, 2mm is about the thickness of a Nickel. If you’re a heavy grinder you may need a more durable 3mm night guard (available in soft only). The 1mm is very thin and typically recommended for daytime use. Remember, any of our dental night guards will serve the function of protecting your teeth from the damages associated with teeth grinding and jaw clenching. These two articles will help guide you further:

Once your order has been placed you will receive a do-it-yourself dental impression kit. This kit contains two plastic trays (choose which one fits best), blue and white putty paks, instructions, and a prepaid return mailer.

Taking your dental impression is EASY! Check out our “how to” video. Upon receipt of your dental impression, we will make your custom appliance within 8-12 business days. That’s it!

“What if I don’t take my dental impression correctly?”We will mail a redo impression kit to you free of charge.

“What if my occlusal guard (night guard) does not fit correctly?”

Keep in mind that the Sentinel warranty and return policy is unlike any other. We stand by our products and will always work with you. This means that if you are dissatisfied with your product for any reason, you can either contact Sentinel within 90 days for a full refund or opt to continue working with us until you get a great fitting guard. Our commitment to you is 100% satisfaction.

“I LOVE the occlusal guard you just made 🙂 It fits perfectly and stays in place! I want another just like it. How do I reorder?”We keep all impressions on file for one year from the purchase date. Place a new order.

Be sure to use coupon code alreadyhavestone to receive 20% off your order. Upon receipt of new order we will pull your existing dental impression on file and get to work!

Cleaning Your Dental Night Guard

Have you ever seen a really old night guard? A woman on the phone told me the other day her daughter calls her “meth mouth” when she puts her night guard in because of the yellow and brownish stains that permeate her once clear appliance. She confessed that she wasn’t the best at taking care of it. Often times, she would simply remove it in the morning and leave it on her sink without even rinsing. This is where it would sit all day, filled with saliva until she quickly rinsed and placed it in her mouth at night before bed. She was so excited to be purchasing a new, shiny clear guard.

It is true that over the years of constant nightly use, a night guard can begin to discolor no matter what lengths you go to to keep it clean.However daily cleaning and a weekly denture cleaning solution soak can keep your night guard sparkling for far longer than if you didn’t implement a proper cleaning regimen.

To clean:

Take a soft toothbrush and squirt a bit of mild, organic soap onto the brush. Scrub each tooth compartment thoroughly. Don’t forget the front and sides of the guard.

Rinse all of the soap off of the appliance.

This next step is imperative. Take a soft towel and dry your night guard completely. Sitting water or saliva or a combo of both can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Moldy spots can appear and/or yellowing & browning overtime. If your night guard was made using a fusion of layers, the layers can separate if left in water.

What about a denture soak? Yes you can do a quick 2-5 minutes soak once a week or two. Don’t soak overnight.

So there ya have it folks

Many consumers tell us that they have ordered a night guard from their dentist only to be disappointed in the fit,usefulness and ability to wear it comfortably at night. If you do decide to cough up the cash and pay a dentist then you should be certain that they are going to work with you to your complete satisfaction. It’s one of the perks of going through a dentist. That is, the ability to get your night guard adjusted to your exact specifications if needed.

If you have started looking into the subject of bruxism and you’re trying to understand nighttime teeth grinding/jaw clenching, you’ve probably already noticed some real inconsistencies and downright contradictions out there. For example the NTI night guard, is controversial in its usefulness and effectiveness. Some even say the small device is dangerous because of the potential to swallow it during sleep. Yet it’s popular. Some dentists ONLY make the NTI guard in their office. Others swear against the use of it.

TMJ is one twisted issue. Everyone is different and dental anatomy, habits and pathology vary widely from person to person. You may very well have to go through some trial and error to gain control of your bruxism and/or TMJ. If you opt to tolet your dentist make your night guard, pay attention to what your dentist tells you. Be proactive and seek to understand your disorder. Make changes in your lifestyle to lessen the severity or intensity of the grinding/clenching.

Want to know how to stop teeth grinding at night? Start Doing Yoga.

FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY!! HOW DO I STOP MY TEETH GRINDING AT NIGHT?

Let’s skip straight to it. The generally agreed upon short answer to the question “how do I stop teeth grinding at night” is that it is very difficult to stop or control this involuntary habit that occurs in your sleep. Over the course of your life you may experience some times when you grind your teeth. Maybe a lot! Maybe just moderately. That does not mean that you should give up and quit trying to cure your bruxism. There are plenty of things one can do to combat the severity of the teeth grinding. Stress is believed to be a dominant factor. If we can lessen the stress in our lives we can lessen the stress driven force that is behind this urge to grind or clench.

What do we know about the “cause” of teeth grinding? Bruxism is classified as a SLEEP DISORDER. There is still a lot of debate about exact causes. The truth is, dentists and researchers are still not sure exactly what causes the habit of grinding or clenching teeth. They do know the effect of this disorder.Some things we DO know:

• Contrary to some belief, your bite does not effect whether or not you grind your teeth. In other words, it doesn’t matter if your teeth fit together perfectly or all crazy. • If you do grind, it only happens in short bursts; it’s not all night. Each instance may only last for 30 seconds to a minute. You may well sleep with your mouth open 90% of the night (doubtful), but still grind the heck out of your teeth during the 10%. • You can clench up to 130% harder at night than during the day, because your protective reflexes are turned off. • Clenching and grinding aren’t really the same thing. • Teeth Clenching: the teeth squeeze so hard that they can’t move. these patients typically do little damage to their teeth but have much worse pain. • Teeth Grinding: the teeth still squeeze hard, but not so hard that they can’t move around. These patients tend to do lots more damage, but actually have less pain. • Some people do a mix of both • Enamel is 15% harder than your bones; to wear your enamel flat in a lot of places. It takes a LOT of force, a LOT of times, over a LONG period of time. You can’t do it in a couple months. * An acidic diet (sodas, foods, etc) weakens your enamel and makes it easier to wear down during bruxism. It’s like a multiplier. • Stress seems to play a dominate role in the severity of bruxism. Make steps to create a calmer, more peaceful day to day environment.

The damage caused from teeth grinding can be downright scary.

Choosing to not wear a device at night that will protect your teeth could mean a world of very expensive trouble down the road.

It’s no secret that the dentist is expensive! Major restorative procedures are something most people tend to dread and avoid. We do understand and sleeping with a plastic object in your mouth takes time to get used to. It’s something one must become accustomed to. But you CAN get used to wearing it. This is why we decided to offer the variable thickness choices so that you can choose which dental night guard thickness is right for you. Can’t tolerate a thick durable night guard in your mouth? No problem! Choose a 1mm or 2mm thin style that snaps into place. It is hardly noticeable and very easy to sleep with. Choosing to wear a night guard is choosing to take the proper measurements to prevent long term damaging effects. The good news is, we’re good at what we do! Even our most durable night guards (3mm+) are heavy duty yet slim (so much better than anything store bought and even superior to some dental office made guards). Comfort is our top priority. Sentinel guards fit over your exact dental anatomy for the most comfortable fit. Pinpointing an exact cause of teeth grinding has proven to be quite difficult and the proposed reasons range so widely that it is confusing at best. Though we don’t have all the answers we do know that wearing a custom night guard is entirely beneficial. This fact can be agreed upon (almost universally) by dentists and researchers. The night guard appliance will break up that direct tooth on tooth contact instead of engaging with each other causing TMJ pain, tooth, neck & jaw pain, and in some instances abscesses. In regard to abscesses: continuous bruxing on a particular tooth can irritate the periodontal membrane and cause it to thicken over time. When this happens, the tooth sits up higher (micromillimeters) in the jaw causing you to keep ‘hitting it’ when you grind, thus irritating it even more (and can eventually lead to a root canal=expensive).REDUCING STRESSWhen trying to reduce stress in your life, think about your daily habits.

Starting from when you first wake up. What do you so? Caffeine reduction, fitting exercise into your schedule, eating healthier, quitting smoking/alcohol consumption, and removing the negative from your life can lighten your load physically and mentally.

How do we reduce stress?

Stress is an unavoidable part of life.

Three out of five adults in the US say they experience anxiety or stress every day, and most say it at least interferes with their lives moderately, according to the latest ADAA survey on anxiety and stress disorders. When people were surveyed by the American Psychological Association in 2009, more reported emotional and physical symptoms as a result of stress than they did in 2008, and almost half reported that their stress has gone up in the past year. It is impossible to get rid of stress, but you can learn how to manage it, and most people normally do. In a recent ADAA poll, some 15 percent of people use physical exercise to cope with stress. Others reported turning over to family or friends (20 percent); sleeping (19 percent); watching TV or movies (16 percent), as well as listening to music (17 percent) and eating (13 percent). While each of these are popular coping techniques, yoga is among the most underestimated powerful stress reducer and is recommended by health care experts. Interestingly, among the poll takers who do physical exercise, only a small percentage consider yoga as a powerful stress reducer: yoga (10 percent), walking (30 percent), and running (21 percent).

Here are some brilliant ways to manage and reduce stress, promote peace, relaxation and calm within yourself:

1. Exercise and Yoga Exercise is the main method of promoting relaxation and reducing stress for most people. One of the values of regular exercise is the moderating effect it has on emotion. This is a long-standing benefit, but non-aerobic and aerobic exercise may also work in severe situations as an ideal symptomatic treatment. If you feel upset or angry, a brisk run or walk or a half-hour of weight lifting will every so often keep youin a nice mood. However, even though exercise is an ideal way to burn off excess energy, it doesn’t teach you how to manage stress in a different way. Because of that, it isn’t recommended as your only method of relaxation, rather it’s a supplement to another method, like visualization, yoga or breathing, for example. Yoga is a superb relaxation promoter as well as a great form of non aerobic body conditioning. It complements aerobic exercise perfectly.

2. Body Work and Massage Enjoy a massage or other type of bodywork, for a perfect, relaxing experience. You need to give in to the touch of a professional therapist and be totally passive in order to derive full benefit. There’s a great deal of evidence that the nervous system and mind states are mirrored in the musculature state – bodywork is one-route into our unconscious mind. Some types of massage tend to be more relaxing compared to others. Some of the most popular massage forms for reducing stress purpose include Trager work, which is a system that makes use of bouncing and rocking movements to calm and lull the recipients into a very pensive altered state, as well as Watsu that is done using warm water. Massage like exercise, is more of a symptomatic stress reducer than a lasting treatment. It also tends to be limited in how its applied, because only a few people are able to visit a massage therapist every day, and most people require practicing relaxation skills every day.

3. Meditation Meditation is “directed concentration”. Meditation leaders practice to focus their consciousness and target it onto a body: the breath, a word or phrase repeated silently, images in the eye of the mind, or memorized inspirational passages. Immediate benefits have been documented by researchers in terms of respiratory rate or decreased heart, increased blood flow, lowered blood pressure, as well as other measurable precursors of the relaxation responses. Even though meditation potentials are vast, not everybody should go for it as a way of relaxing because many people aren’t ready to into meditation. The first move is to work to come up good exercise schedules, learn to breath properly, and improve the diet. Some individuals may derive from simpler relaxation techniques, ones that offer instant results without much effort. Shop around a form that seems comfortable and one that isn’t at odds with your belief-system and suits,if you want to start meditating. All types of meditation call for regular, every day practice for a long time period before they deliver huge rewards. Start to meditate on daily basis without fail, 20-30 minutes being a sensible time length to reduce stress. Many people tend to think the goal is to halt every thought. That is not really possible. Withdrawing your attention from the unending chains of relentless thoughts that continuously stream through your mind is what you wish to learn. Whenever you are aware that your concentration has strayed (to thoughts of dinner, sensations etc.) slowly direct back to your selected object. Meditation requires just this continuous awareness of your attention/focus and fetching it back.

4. Avoid Unhealthy Habits Don’t rely on smoking, caffeine and alcohol as your ways of managing stress. Men are likely to do this than women. This known as avoidance behavior but women are not largely affected as most ted to seek support from their acquaintanceship. These crutches will not solve your problems over the long term. They will just create new ones. It is like putting your head in the sand. It may short term relief, but it is not going to make the problems fade away. You need to seek health ways to help you tackle the causes of your stress.

5. Connect with people A good support network of friends, family and colleges can ease your stress and help you see things in a better perspective. Health experts warn that if you fail to connect with people, you will not get support to turn to whenever you need help. The activities you do with friends and colleagues help a lot in relaxing and reducing stress. You will time and again have a good laugh with your loved ones and friends, and this is an excellent stress reliever. Talking things through with friends will also help you get better solutions to your problems.

To recap:

So you grind your teeth at night? The main reason for that could be stress. Teeth grinding is something that many people develop involuntarily and can hang onto for many years. For this reason, it may become frustrating when trying to stop the action, especially because it is something that happens when you are sleeping. However, most people positively overcome the condition. Therefore do not let it overcome you. You can try different methods to see how you can deal with it. One thing is for sure- Yoga is helping in an unsuspecting way.

Teeth grinding is also known as bruxism. It refers to excessive clamping together of the upper and the bottom jaw that is accompanied by the grinding of the lower teeth with the upper ones. Most people are not aware of the problem because it happens at night. Normally it is only when a dentist points out the teeth damage from grinding that a person with bruxism becomes aware of the problem. Grinding of teeth affects both adults and children, though adults are the most affected. Even though it is not a serious medical problem, it can cause havoc in the mouth. It can lead to painful teeth and cause them to loosen. Parts of the teeth can also break and this can lead to jaw disorders, pain, damaged teeth, and headaches.

Stress is the main cause of teeth grinding. When someone is stressed, he or she gains a form of energy that need to be released. Even though every person responds to stress, some people respond through muscle contraction. For example, if you have an existing bite problem, and you bring in some stress, your body may find grinding of teeth as a relief. By simply reducing your level of stress with lifestyle changes, you may find that you can put an end to this problem. You can actually reduce stress by doing more exercise or, if you have certain problems in your life that are causing problems, you should talk to a therapist. Other simpler things you can make is listening to your favorite music, going for a walk or having a pet. You can also ease stress by taking a warm bath, relaxing and doing yoga. In fact yoga has been identified by many as the golden ticket to lessen teeth grinding. Different yoga techniques help to reduce tension in the body and muscle activity.

Experts say yoga and meditation can help. There are numerous yoga techniques that can help you stop grinding your teeth at night. First, relaxation is very important if you want to overcome teeth grinding. As stated above, stress play a very big role in teeth grinding. Therefore, it is very important to adapt a daily routine that focuses on relieving your stress to ensure you are stress-free at night. Yoga stretches are very important not just to reduce teeth grinding but also for your health. Some of the yoga poses that can help reduce grinding of teeth include:

Eyes around the clock pose– Shockingly, stress on the eyes can drop down to the rest of your face including your jaws. You need to relax your eyes by doing this yoga pose known as Eyes around the clock pose. Start by closing your eyes slightly and rotate your eyes clockwise twenty times, then rotate your eyes counter clockwise for twenty times.

Warrior 2 Pose – this pose opens the sub-occipital muscles in the neck. When you stand to do the pose, make sure one of your legs is at 45 degrees and the other one is facing straight ahead, then your arms should be out at shoulder level, and the shoulders back and relaxed. Increase your spine, and then turn your head to the left or right. Hold this pose for about 10 breaths. Then turn and face the other direction with your legs (the leg that was straight let it face 45 degrees and the one that was at 45 degrees should now face straight forward)

The Camel Pose – this also opens the sub-occipital muscles found in your neck. Sit on a mat and bring yourself onto your knees that are hip width apart. Then gradually straighten up on your knees. Then lengthen your spine to the sky as high as you can, push your pelvis forward and up. And then keep your hands on your lower back and let your neck be long. Gradually bring your head back as far as you can bring it. Make sure your shoulders are relaxed. You should hold the pose for 10 deep breaths. Your jaw physiques will be strained and tension will be released.

Bridge Pose – This is another yoga pose that can help get rid of teeth grinding. Lie on your back, and gradually lift your hips high then push them slightly forward. At the same time interconnect your fingers behind your back without squeezing your shoulder edges together, and then fold your chin into your chest. Hold this pose for 10 deep breaths. You will feel a nice upper back release.

Yoga is a practice. The yoga cure will not work overnight. As you get deeper into your yoga practice, you will start to notice a lighter feeling & a sense of ease that you will carry with you throughout the day and into the night. Hence, the most important thing to remember is to stop, relax, take a deep breath and commit yourself to your practice every day. In short, the more you can let go of stress during the day, the less likely you are to be overwhelmed by the issue at night. Through consistency and deep breathing/yoga improvement, the likelihood of teeth grinding occurring at night &/or during the day will begin to lift.

Since grinding your teeth when you sleep is a disorder related to sleep, another way to deal with the problem is to visit a sleep study center. You can get these centers at universities or hospitals. They can use their sensors to take measurements of all the things your body does while you fall asleep. They can even tell if you have other sleep disorders such as snoring and sleep apnea which are common with people who grind their teeth. Your doctor will then recommend treatment based on those results.

Though it is difficult to stop the habit of grinding your teeth at night, it is not impossible. It is therefore necessary to visit your dentist, and make yoga your favorite workout.

“If I mess up my dental impression what do I do?”

Answer: No need to hit the panic button. If your first dental impression doesn’t go very well simply contact us. We will ship out a new dental impression kit to you. Hang on to your prepaid mailer as you will be needing that to mail back your new (better) dental impression.

COMMON MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

Here’s a list of the most common errors when taking your own dental impression and some tips on preventing the mess ups:

Attempting to take your dental impression before reading through all of the material and watching the video. Read our how it works page, and take a look at the instructions you receive in the mail.

Took too long to mix the putty. As a result, the putty becomes hard before you submerge all of your teeth. Remember to set a timer and watch your time! Mix thoroughly and quickly for 40 seconds to 1 minute. Roll into hot dog shape (with a quickness) and place in the tray. With your finger, smooth out the areas as needed so you have a nice, smooth , equally distributed surface before submerging your teeth.

Misjudged the position of the tray and the teeth hit the plastic wall. Here’s a great tip! Practice taking the empty tray in and out of your mouth several times before actually taking your teeth impression. Stand in front of a mirror and pretend the tray is already filled with putty. Try to keep the tray as straight as possible. Place the tray in the mouth and then push the bottom of the tray up (in a uniform, even manner). If you’re taking an impression for your lower teeth, follow the same process- You would just press the tray down instead of up. Make sure to submerge all of the teeth.

Moving the tray once the teeth are submerged. This will result in a distorted dental impression and thus an ill-fitting mouth guard. Remember to submerge all of the teeth and stay still for the full 3 minutes before taking your impression out. Even if you’re drooling all over–STAY STILL!

Taking your tray out too soon. Removing the tray before the putty is completely set can cause some distortion. Remember 3 minutes!

We have a very high success rate of customers taking their impression correctly the first time around. Over 85% of customers take their impression perfectly on their first try. Also, one of the greatest things about taking a nice , clean impression of your teeth is that we keep your dental impression/stone mould on file here in the Sentinel lab! This means, we can make and remake your future night guards (as long as your dental anatomy doesn’t change) and they will all fit beautifully!

That’s it! Do you have some tips of your own? Feel free to leave them in the comments section below!

The problem of waking up with sore teeth is common amongst many people.

“My Teeth Are Sore When I Wake Up. Why?”

Often times, when a person goes to sleep, their teeth feel healthy and fine but when they wake up the teeth will feel sore. This may or may not be accompanied by a headache and/or jaw pain and can cause a lot of discomfort and inconveniences. A person who wakes with sore teeth might be unable to eat breakfast or brush teeth comfortably. It’s not the best way for one to start their day and can actually be doing real damage to the teeth if you are suffering from a disorder such as bruxism or TMJ. So lets take a look at some top reasons why a person might wake up with sore teeth and also the solutions to this issue.

Custom Night Guard

Protect Your Teeth

1. Teeth Grinding Or Jaw Clenching During The Night

It is estimated that most of us grind or clench our teeth at some point in our lives.

The most common cause of sore teeth while waking up is grinding and clenching of teeth while asleep. The majority of the people who experience this issue usually clench and/or grind their teeth while asleep. In fact, it is estimated that 1 in 12 people grind or clench their teeth at night. This might be caused by many things including stress, dreaming and irregular temperatures at night amongst other reasons. A person who clenches and grinds his or her teeth at night will not have control of this situation since it is not possible to stop clenching and grinding of teeth while asleep. Therefore, if such a person does not find the right solution, the problem will persist and the person will be waking up with sore teeth and slowly making the teeth flatter, more susceptible to cracks & breakage.. This makes it paramount to find a permanent and effective solution to solve this problem. Don’t know if you’re grinding your teeth? The most convenient and effective solution to waking up with sore teeth because of grinding and clenching of the teeth at night is the use of a dental night guard. These guards are effective because they prevent the teeth from coming into contact at night and even if the person wearing the nigh guard clenches or grinds the teeth there will be no negative effect. Custom made night guards (based on a dental impression of your teeth) are far superior to store bought dental night guards. Custom guards are also easy to put on and remove and they can be worn by almost anyone. Finding the right night guard for you can sometimes be tricky. A custom made dental night guard (made from a dental impression of your teeth) is almost universally recommended by dentists and researchers alike over the stock, store bought types. Skip dental offices prices and get yours here direct from the lab!

2. Food Stuck In Your Teeth

Another common cause of teeth soreness while waking up is eating foods and failing to brush while going to bed. Some of the common foods that usually cause this problem include hard foods whose particles might remain on the teeth or meats that get in between the cracks. These food particles will have a negative effect while sleeping which can readily cause teeth soreness. The most effective way of avoiding this problem is ensuring that one brushes and flosses prior to sleeping. Through brushing and flossing one removes the food particles that might have remained on the teeth and therefore have a comfortable night.

3. Sleep Positions

People who tend to sleep in certain positions might wake up with their teeth feeling sore. . For instance, placing the hands below the face especially on the jaw area or sleeping with your face on something hard like rings or bracelets (it’s common for people nowadays to sleep with their phone right next to them) can cause the teeth to be sore. Pay attention to where the pain/soreness is being distributed. Is it just on one side? Both sides? Upper teeth? Lower teeth? . A person who usually moves his or her face towards the rail of the bed might also make the teeth feel sore in the morning. The ideal solution for teeth soreness caused by these issues is ensuring that one removes all the jewelry while going to bed, and put the phone on a nightstand nearby. One should also practice placing the hands away from the face while sleeping. It is also helpful to try sleeping far away from the bed rails and placing a pillow between yourself and the rail so as to avoid placing the face along the rails while asleep. Other possible reasons:

4. Have you had a dental appointment or cleaning lately?

Sometimes getting your teeth and gums probed and prodded with dental tools can cause some continued soreness. This will usually subside within a few days after treatment and should not cause alarm.

5. Sprained Tooth Syndrome (STS)

can form from a number of things such as an overfilled filling or crown, cold allergy/sinus issues, or shifting of teeth. Additionally, crunching , grinding or opening the mouth continuously can aggravate the tooth & ligament that is attached to the tooth and even exacerbate clenching and grinding. Sometimes STS can arise from a small minor accident like crunching on a pointy, sticky or chewy food & worsen from that point. Dental treatment for STS may include changing the patients bite, Ibuprofen, sensitive toothpaste and/or the use of a dental night guard. You should seek professional dental help if you suspect you may be suffering from STS as this syndrome can be complex.

What do you think? Have you suffered from morning teeth soreness?

Yes I do and its because I grind my teeth

Yes I do and its because I clench my teeth

I do and I don’t know why

I do have tooth soreness and its because of another reason entirely. Tell us why in the comment section!

It could be because I’m not brushing/flossing my teeth enough

It could be because of my sleep position, phone in bed with me, railing, jewelry, etc

Solving the problem of grinding and clenching by wearing a custom night guard is now a convenient solution because these guards are easily accessible online. A person who might need a dental night guard can complete the entire process without ever having to leave their house. Don’t know if you should go through an online night guard lab or pay your dentist? There are some instances when you should definitely go through the dentist. If you’re suffering from TMJ, jaw alignment issues or if your dentist recommends making you a special type of night guard involving metal clasps or ramps you will need him/her to fabricate that type of special appliance.

The process of buying a Sentinel Night Guard is simple and the payment modes with features that include PayPal are secure and user friendly.

Furthermore, purchasing your new night guard from Sentinel Mouth Guards is way less expensive than what a dentist charges.

There can be other reasons why your teeth are sore that are not listed in this article. Discuss your tooth soreness with your dentist. He/she can take x-rays to see if there are some visual signs of trouble in one or more of your teeth. A dentist can also perform sleep tests and examine your teeth for fracture lines or dental damage if you are indeed grinding or clenching at night. Do you have something to add to this article? Please do! See comment section below.

“Should I be wearing a night guard to protect my veneers?”

Why it’s worth it to protect your smile after such a big investment:

Jenny saved and saved for her new veneers on her front teeth. It was a dream come true for her. No more smiling with slight pursed lips. Prior to the veneers, she had what she aptly referred to as “rabbit teeth”. Her lateral incisors (the two teeth on either side of the two front teeth) were shorter than her central incisors (the two front teeth). She cried at the dental office when she saw her new smile for the first time. Holding the small mirror in front of her face, she couldn’t believe the smile transformation.

But there was trouble with her new smile. After a few nights with her new teeth she woke up to a chipped lateral incisor. She went to the dentist and he fixed it. Two weeks later, it chipped again. Another trip to the dentist. Jenny’s problem is extremely common after cosmetic work. Her bite and grinding habits prior to getting the new veneers are now dangerous to the new teeth. The solution is to wear a night guard.

Wearing a soft dental night guard will protect your teeth from direct contact with each other. The soft padding provides a much needed barrier between the two destructive surfaces. If you have received veneers on both the upper and lower teeth, it may be necessary to wear soft night guards on both teeth arches. These are not bulky. Here at Sentinel Mouth Guards, we sell thin 1mm soft dental night guards for both the upper and lower teeth for less than $200/set. This is a smart investment to protect your new expensive veneers.

Dentists sometimes don’t always tell you the downside of new veneers. Look, there is a golden rule that I think everyone should be aware of. It is this: THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS BETTER THAN YOUR NATURAL, HEALTHY TEETH.

Take dentures for example. Your dentures are not going to feel like your real teeth. Ever. You just eventually get used to them and forget what your real teeth felt like.

Your new veneers are going to take some getting used to. Do you know what the teeth look like under veneers? It ain’t pretty. Sometimes dentists conveniently forget to tell you that food can get up under the veneer and overtime your little nub of a tooth can start to decay and years later when the dentist pops that veneer off, the room fills with an odor of decay. That is what often lies under those beautiful, new veneers.

You know what else can happen to veneers? They can chip and break.

Sometimes it feels like one thing after another. For most people, getting new veneers is a huge expense and one that took a lot of time and diligence to save the money for. The reality is simple. Any cosmetic dentistry work is just downright expensive. So when your dentist tells you that (on top of the thousands of dollars you just laid down for your dream teeth) you now need to wear a night guard to protect those new pearly whites, it can be quite a blow. You might even be wondering if you REALLY need the night guard.

The Short Answer-

Most dentists strongly recommend the use of a night guard after veneers. The reasons are obvious. If you crack or chip your new porcelain teeth it’s going to be an expensive fix. Also, the new veneers will create a new and unusual bite. This new bite can actually cause you to start involuntarily grinding your teeth together.

We’re here to let you in on a little secret:

The good news is, this protective night guard does not have to cost you another $500, $600 or $700+ A lot of people are unaware that they can purchase a custom made night guard for around $100 online. These are the same exact custom night guards made in dental offices. The only difference is, you take your own dental impression and your custom fit night guard is made in a dental lab specializing in night guard & mouth guard fabrication.

What is the best type of night guard to protect my veneers? Here’s another secret: A soft night guard (generally the least expensive type) should be just fine for you (given that you do not have any severe grinding or clenching issues and/or any teeth alignment issues). If you have had a decent amount of dental work done you have probably had a dental impression taken a time or two. You should know that a dental assistant takes most dental impression all by his/her self. If a dental assistant can take a cast of your teeth, guess what! So can you.

Here at Sentinel Mouth Guards, we strive to provide the best and most up-to-date information available.

Do you have experience wearing veneers? Share your story! We would love to hear from you in the comments section below!

When ordering a mouth guard that is truly custom fit, a dental impression of your teeth must be taken . Now, if you’re going through a dental office, a professional will take a nice, clear impression of your teeth. But if you decide to purchase online, you will get a kit sent to your home and the task will be yours. It’s not rocket science but it does take some prepping and familiarizing yourself with the process before you begin. The fit of your mouth guard or night guard for teeth grinding depends on how well you take your dental impression. Here we will break the steps down to ensure that you take a perfect impression of your teeth for your new custom fit mouth guard.

What You Will Get In Your Kit

1. Plastic tray(s)

2. Mixing putty (usually purple and white or blue and white) This putty is a base and a catalyst. When mixed together, it becomes hard after 1-5 minutes (depending on which type you get -fast set or slow set- set times differ). Sentinel Mouthguard’s impression putty has a working time of 40-60 seconds and a set time of 3 minutes.

As stated above, the fit of your mouth guard depends on how well you take your dental impression. So it starts with you. Taking your own dental impression requires focus. Pay attention to the directions. Make sure you’ve set aside time so that you’re not rushed and can focus on the task at hand.

Take several minutes to read through the instructions and make sure you feel comfortable with the process before you start tearing things open. There are several good youtube videos that are helpful.

Wash your hands. Don’t use gloves during the impression process. Just wash your hands and dry thoroughly before you begin.

Get Familiar With Tray Placement

Some online mouth guard companies will give you a couple of different trays to try in. If this is the case, choose which tray fits best. It’s better to be a little too big than too small (you don’t want any of your teeth hitting the sides of the tray). If you’re having to stretch your lips a bit, try putting some chap stick or vaseline on them to avoid cracking.

Practice putting the plastic tray in your mouth and taking it out. Your teeth should not be right up against the sides of the tray. Remember, you will be filling this tray with putty and submerging your teeth into the putty. So, you’re not going to want your teeth hitting the sides of the tray.

Have A Timer Ready. Get Ready To Mix The Putty!

The most common error that we see when attempting to take your own dental impression is letting the putty get hard before submerging the teeth. It is very important to pay attention to your time and work fast. Different brands and putty types have different “working” and “set” times. If the putty has a working time of 2 minutes (for instance) you must quickly mix, roll into a hot-dog like shape, place in the tray and submerge ALL the whites of your teeth within 2 minutes. The set time will be however long you must hold it in place once teeth are submerged in putty. As stated above, our impression putty has a 40-60 second “working” time (this is the time you are mixing the two puttys together, rolling into hot dog shape and placing in the tray). The set time is 3 minutes.

Mix Thoroughly

Mix putty quickly and thoroughly, folding and kneading to get as much of the white blended into the purple as possible. Watch that clock!

Roll Into Hot-Dog Like Shape

With the palms of your hands, roll into hotdog shape and place putty into tray.

Place In Tray

Place putty in the plastic tray. With your fingers, spread the material evenly (making sure to cover the sides of the tray).

Submerge ALL The Teeth In Putty

Make sure you press the putty filled tray into your teeth covering ALL of your whites. Do not bite down. Hold in place for however long is indicated on your instructions.

Remove, Rinse, Pat Dry and Mail Back

After removing your dental impression, give it a quick water rinse and very gently pat dry. Place impression in your mailer and return to company.

A few common questions:

“I messed up my dental impression. How can I get a new kit?”

Here at Sentinel Mouth Guards, we supply one free redo kit if you mess up. Simply contact us to request your redo kit. Remember to hang on to your prepaid mailer as you will be needing it to mail back your new dental impression.

“I have loose teeth and/or some loose dental work. Can I still take my dental impression?”

No. Sentinel Mouth Guards is not liable for any damages resulting from the use of our putty system. If you have loose teeth or loose dental work, you will need to get those issues resolved before purchasing our product. Good, solid teeth are a must!

“I bought the kit but now I don’t want it. Can I return it?”

We have a 90 day no questions asked return policy. You can return your impression kit for a full refund if you are within 90 days of purchase date.

We hope you learned how to take your dental impression. Taking your own dental impression is easy squeezy! Not to mention you save a lot of money by going through an online night guard or mouth guard lab vs. paying a dentist. Hope this helps you feel confident about taking your own teeth impression. If you have ANY additional questions or concerns please feel free to ask or express in the comments section below. Thanks!